Mr Rudd last year lost his job as Foreign Minister. Mr Hockey, shadow treasurer, last year sacrificed 80 per cent of his stomach in a drastic bid to lose weight. They both want political payoffs in this election year.

And they both know they are a potent combination when it comes to using top rating TV to convince voters they are competent yet non-threatening. Just a pair of nice blokes.

Six years ago their appearances were credited with making Mr Rudd Prime Minister and boosting Mr Hockey's profile nationally. “Don't intend to make him a PM twice,” Mr Hockey tweeted today.

On the screen they began slowly but there was no united front against the common enemy, Julia Gillard.

Mr Burke had been the regular on-air partner of Mr Hockey, but the chance of, as Mr Rudd today called it, “putting the band back together”, was irresistible in an election year.

“Tony Burke was good but he couldn't match these two together,” said a television source today.

Mr Burke told news.com.au: “I've had a great time on Sunrise and if the opportunity to appear came up again I would grab it with both hands.”

The Kev and Joe reunion immediately fuelled political speculation which the Opposition hopes will harm the Government.

“Kevin has muscled his way back in,” said a Liberal source.

And a Labor source said, “There are always machination when Kevin is involved.”

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Comments on this story

Ricey of Lockyer Valley Posted at 1:45 PM February 01, 2013

It is amazing how short people's memories are of how poor a PM Kevin 07 was... how many endless commissions and committee he used to pretend he was looking into doing something, but you know what, he never did anything except rob from the middle and top end earners in this country. He was also an arrogant man who didn't listen, spoke at extreme and verbose length, who bored the common audience, and whose ideas were all fluff. Not that Gillard is better, but this guy has a silver tongue but nothing to contribute.

peter of sydney Posted at 1:03 PM February 01, 2013

I wish them both success.

Circus of nsw Posted at 1:01 PM February 01, 2013

Both of these blokes should be leaders of their reletive parties. Dont agree with Rudd backing the PM over the election announcement. Of course she knew about the Thomson arrest. She only does what is good for her. If any of these pollies had any sense of pride or any morals a bi-electiion would bbe called. thomson has been arrested and should no longer be representing the Aust people. The ALP should wake up to themselves aand give Rudd the top job back.

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